Bracket for an outboard stabilizing element for a canoe, rowboat and the like



Aug. 6, 1963 E. w. CARPENTER ,100, 0

BRACKET FOR AN OUTBOARD STABILIZING ELEMENT FOR A CANOE, ROWBOAT AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 28, 1961 50 s INVENTOR.

EDWARD w. CARPENTER ATTOR N EYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,1WJW Patented Aug. 6, 1963 3 106 100 BRACKET FOR AN 9 OUTBGARD STABILIZING ELEMENT FOR A CANGE, RGWBOAT AND THE LIKE Edward W. Carpenter, 35318 Main St, Wayne, Mich. Filed Aug. 28, 1961, Eer. No. 134,401 1 Claim. (111. 248214) This invention relates to a bracket for an outboard stabilizing element for a canoe, rowboat and the like, and relates more particularly to a stabilizing element and bracket assembly which is adapted to impart stability to a boat as well as to positively insure the same against sinking.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bracket, adapted to span a side wall of a boat, in which a closed loop or holder is provided on one end of the bracket for carrying an outboard stabilizing element, and a tension arm is provided on the other end of the bracket which bears against the inside of the wall of the boat to urge the aforesaid loop firmly against the outside of the wall.

Another object is to provide a bracket of the aforementioned type wherein fastening means are provided for securing the portion of the bracket intermediate the ends thereof to the upper edge of the wall.

Another object is to provide a boat stabilizing assembly consisting of an outboard inflatable tube which is sup ported by means of detachable brackets of novel design and construction mounted on the side wall of the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket of the aforementioned type which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and reliable and efficient in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a canoe in a body of water.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is -a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawing, FIGURE 1 shows a canoe 10 partly submerged in a body of water 12. The canoe 10 has a pair of side walls 14. Conventional longitudinally spaced transversely extending ribs are provided in the interior of the canoe 10 along the sides and bottom thereof and are rigidly secured to such sides and bottom of the canoe. The upper edge of each side wall 14 is provided with suitable longitudinally extending inner and outer side rails or molding strips 16 and 17 respectively. The side rails 16 and 17 are located upon the inner and outer sides of the ribs 15 at the upper edge of each side wall 14 and are rigidly secured to said ribs 15. Such side rails 16 and 17 collectively constitute an upper rim for each side wall 14 of the canoe or boat.

Outboard stabilizing elements 20 are connected to the sides 14 of the canoe 10 by means of a plurality of detachable brackets 22. While generally the outboard stabilizing elements 20 are mounted in fixed relation to both side walls 14 of the boat 10, for purposes of illustration only one stabilizing element assembly is shown in FIG- URE 1. The stabilizing element 20- is generally an elongated straight length of inflated hollow rubber tubing which has the opposite ends closed.

The bracket 22 is generally made from a predetermined length of sheet metal and is bent and rolled into the desired configuration as illustrated. The bracket 22 has a substantially horizontal or fiat shiftable intermediate arm or base 24 which extends transversely of and in surface-to-surface relation with the upper surfaces of the side rails or molding strips 16 and 17. The base 24 projects laterally inwardly and laterally outwardly with respect to the side rails 16 and 17. A loop or band 26 projects laterally outwardly and downwardly from the base 24 and constitutes a holder for the rubber stabilizing element 20. The end portion 27 of the loop 26 is riveted to the outer portion of the base 24 by means of rivets 28 so as to form a closed loop 26.

The inner portion of the base 24 is provided at its inner end with a depending outwardly inclined substantially straight spring arm 30 which is snapped downwardly over the side rail 16 of the canoe 10 so that the lower end 32 thereof, which is free, bears firmly against the inside 19 of the wall 14 of the canoe.

The intermediate portion 24 of the base 24 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 40 as is best illustrated in FIGURE 2. A J-bolt 44 extends upwardly through an opening 45 provided between the side rails 16 and 17 and through a selected hole 40 in the base 24, and thus the horizontal arm 46 of the J-bolt 44 is disposed beneath the top side rail 16 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. A wing nut 48 is adjusted on the upwardly projecting threaded end of the J-bolt 44 to hold the parts in assembled relation.

The embodiment as illustrated in FIGURES 4-6 is identical to the bracket 22 shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 and is shown shif-tably mounted upon the top side rail or upper rim 50 of an aluminum or metal canoe. In this case, only one side rail is provided for each upper surface of the wall of the canoe, .and the ribs 15 abut the lower surface of the side rail 50, as is best illustrated in FIG- URE 5. In these figures, an elongated plate 52 is positioned beneath and lengthwise of the top side rail 50* and is carried by an upstanding bolt 54 which extends. upwardly through aligned holes formed respectively in the side rail 50 and the base 24. A wing nut 56 is adjustable upon the threaded upper end of the bolt 54 to clamp the base 24 firmly against the side rail 50 to hold the parts in assembled relation.

The plate 52 is carried by the head 58 of the bolt 54 and extends lengthwise of the top side rail 50. In this construction the lower end 32 of the tension or spring arm 30 bears firmly against the inside 19' of the Wall 14.

In both embodiments .of the present invention, the arm 30 exerts a spring or tension force on the inside 19 of the side wall 14 so as to shift the base 24 of the bracket transversely upon the rim of the boat to move the side of the holder or loop 26 opposite the outer surface of the wall 14 into firm engagement therewith. With such a construction, the stabilizing element 20 is held immediately adjacent to the outside of the wall 14 as illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 5. Thereafter, the intermediate portion 24 of the base 24 is secured by the J-bolt 44 and winged nut 48 to the side wall 14 of the canoe or boat to hold the bracket 22 against displacement. Likewise, in FIGURE 5, the bolt 54 and winged nut 56 hold the bracket 22 against displacement.

As noted in FIGURE 1, three longitudinally spaced brackets 22 are employed to hold each tube 20. By means of a suitable valve, not shown, provided in the tube 20, the latter may be inflated after being positioned within the cooperating loops of the brackets so as to assure strong frictional engagement with the inner surfaces of the loops 26, thereby avoiding danger of accidental withdrawal of the tube 20 from the brackets 22.

The; term boat which is used in the specification as well as in the claim is used as a generic term so as to include canoes, rowboats and other similar types of water vehicles.

I claim:

The combination with a boat having an upright side Wall provided at its upper edge with a longitudinally extending rim, of a bracket having a substantially horizontal base extending across and shifitahle transversely upon said rim, said base being provided with a plurality of Iongitudinally spaced, holes, said base also having horizontal endwise extensions respectively projecting laterally inwardly and laterally outwardly relative to said rim, said outward-1y projecting extension being provided at its outer end with a downwardly projecting ioop-sha-ped member having, an end portion extending outwardly beneath and securedin surfaceato-surface relation with said outwardly.

projecting extension whereby said loop-shaped member may receive and constitute-a holder for an inflated ontboard stabilizing element, saidinwardly projecting. ex- 2 tension having at its inner end a downwardly projecting outwardly inclined spring arm engaging the inner surface of the upright side Wall of said boat and operable to shifit the base of said bracket transversely upon said rim to move said loop-shaped member against the outer surface of the upright side Wall of said boat, and means for detachably securing the shiftable base of said bracket to the upper longitudinally extending rim of said boat, said means consisting of a bolt extending upwardly through an opening in said rim and through a selected hole in said base, and a nut above said base and threadedly engaging the upper end of said bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

